CVE-2025-25196: Github.com/openfga/openfga OpenFGA Authorization Bypass Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-g4v5-6f5p-m38j
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CWE-285
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2025-25196 is a MODERATE openfga authorization bypass vulnerability (CWE-285: Improper Authorization) affecting Github.com/openfga/openfga libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves openfga authorization bypass. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.8.5.

CVE-2025-25196 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2025-25196
GHSA Identifier GHSA-g4v5-6f5p-m38j
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-285: Improper Authorization
Affected Product Github.com/openfga/openfga
Package Ecosystem Go
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2025-25196

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Github.com/openfga/openfga dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

github.com/openfga/openfga fixed: 1.8.5 
Upgrade github.com/openfga/openfga to 1.8.5
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

inspect dependencies for github.com/openfga/openfga

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2025-25196, inspect your project dependencies for Github.com/openfga/openfga:

inspect dependencies for github.com/openfga/openfga

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Github.com/openfga/openfga in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.8.5), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-285: Improper Authorization, where the product does not perform or incorrectly performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action. In Github.com/openfga/openfga, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Overview OpenFGA v1.8.4 or previous (Helm chart < openfga-0.2.22, docker < v.1.8.5) are vulnerable to authorization bypass when certain Check and ListObject calls are executed. Am I Affected? If you are using OpenFGA v1.8.4 or previous, specifically under the following conditions, you are affected by this authorization bypass vulnerability: - Calling Check API or ListObjects with a model that has a relation [directly assignable](https://openfga.dev/docs/concepts#what-is-a-directly-related-user-type) to both [public access](https://openfga.dev/docs/concepts#what-is-type-bound-public-access) AND [userset](https://openfga.dev/docs/concepts#what-is-a-user) with the [same type](https://openfga.dev/docs/concepts#what-is-a-type), and - A type bound public access tuple is assigned to an object, and - userset tuple is not assigned to the same object, and - Check request's user field is a userset that has the same type as the type bound public access tuple's user type Fix Upgrade to v1.8.5. This upgrade is backwards compatible.

CVE-2025-25196 Affected Github.com/openfga/openfga Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.8.5
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
github.com/openfga/openfga
golang/github.com/openfga/openfga
Go
< 1.8.5
1.8.5

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/openfga/openfga/security/advisories/GHSA-g4v5-6f5p-m38j
NVD — CVE-2025-25196 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-25196
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/openfga/openfga/commit/0aee4f47e0c642de78831ceb27bb62b116f49588
Github.com/openfga/openfga Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/openfga/openfga

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-25196?
CVE-2025-25196 is a security vulnerability in Github.com/openfga/openfga involving OpenFGA Authorization Bypass under CWE-285: Improper Authorization.
Which Github.com/openfga/openfga versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.8.5 across affected packages: github.com/openfga/openfga.
What version fixes CVE-2025-25196?
Upgrading to 1.8.5 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is github.com/openfga/openfga affected?
Yes, github.com/openfga/openfga is affected in releases prior to 1.8.5. Upgrade your dependency to 1.8.5 or later.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-25196?
CVE-2025-25196 is classified under CWE-285: Improper Authorization (The product does not perform or incorrectly performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.).
How can I check Go dependencies for CVE-2025-25196?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for github.com/openfga/openfga'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-g4v5-6f5p-m38j",
  "modified" : "2025-02-19T22:39:15Z",
  "published" : "2025-02-19T20:25:22Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-25196" ],
  "summary" : "OpenFGA Authorization Bypass",
  "details" : "Overview\nOpenFGA v1.8.4 or previous (Helm chart < openfga-0.2.22, docker < v.1.8.5) are vulnerable to authorization bypass when certain Check and ListObject calls are executed.\n\nAm I Affected?\nIf you are using OpenFGA v1.8.4 or previous, specifically under the following conditions, you are affected by this authorization bypass vulnerability:\n\n- Calling Check API or ListObjects with a model that has a relation [directly assignable](https://openfga.dev/docs/concepts#what-is-a-directly-related-user-type) to both [public access](https://openfga.dev/docs/concepts#what-is-type-bound-public-access) AND [userset](https://openfga.dev/docs/concepts#what-is-a-user) with the [same type](https://openfga.dev/docs/concepts#what-is-a-type), and\n- A type bound public access tuple is assigned to an object, and\n- userset tuple is not assigned to the same object, and\n- Check request's user field is a userset that has the same type as the type bound public access tuple's user type\n\n\nFix\nUpgrade to v1.8.5. This upgrade is backwards compatible.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/openfga/openfga"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.8.5"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 1.8.4"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openfga/openfga/security/advisories/GHSA-g4v5-6f5p-m38j"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-25196"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openfga/openfga/commit/0aee4f47e0c642de78831ceb27bb62b116f49588"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/openfga/openfga"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-285" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-02-19T20:25:22Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-02-19T21:15:15Z"
  }
}